Want to be a Vet?

Training to be a veterinary surgeon

The veterinary profession

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) is the governing body of the veterinary profession in the United Kingdom. If you want to practise as a veterinary surgeon in the UK, you must be registered as a member of RCVS. Under the provisions of the Veterinary Surgeons Act of 1966, with certain minor exceptions, only a registered veterinary surgeon is permitted to diagnose and treat the injuries and ailments of animals.

To train to be a veterinary surgeon you will need to go to university and take a veterinary degree. The UK veterinary schools offering veterinary degrees approved by the RCVS are Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and London (the Royal Veterinary College), Surrey and Nottingham. The degree courses are five years in length (six years at Cambridge). There are also a number of overseas degrees that are approved by RCVS: in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

Work in the veterinary profession is highly rewarding, but also very demanding. Every veterinary surgeon has an obligation to deal with emergencies in any species at any time. The RCVS advises anyone contemplating a career in veterinary practice to remember that it can be a 24-hour service, 365 days a year.

At White Cross Vets, we believe veterinary surgeons work best when they are adequately rested and have a good work-life balance. For this reason, we operate a 40-hour per week system with no out-of-hours shifts a generous holiday allowance and package of benefits. Our out-of-hours work is covered by a trusted partner.

University entry requirements

University entrance requirements vary between the different veterinary schools. The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons gives the following general advice, but you must check the requirements very carefully in the individual university prospectuses. Prospectuses can be obtained free of charge direct from the universities, or can be viewed on their websites.

Applying to university

All applications for places on veterinary degree courses at UK universities must be made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). For further information, contact the Secretary of UCAS, Fulton House, Jessop Avenue, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire GL50 3SH, or visit the UCAS website.

Applicants who already hold a degree should make enquiries about financing their studies before entering into any commitment. Veterinary degrees are some of the most expensive courses to fund.

There are no recognised sources of grants for UK students taking a second undergraduate degree in veterinary science or any other subject and, unfortunately, the RCVS does not have any funds which it can offer to undergraduate veterinary students. Students may, however, still be able to apply for a student loan towards their maintenance costs.

Reference list

There is a wide range of books about life as a veterinary surgeon. Please contact your local bookshop or library for more information. You may also wish to look at the links page on the RCVS website. The following references are recommended by the RCVS: